Set It and Secure It: Why You Should Consider Investing in RTBs via GBonds

Growing your money without taking on a nerve-wracking route is a constant tug-of-war. You don’t want your money idle in a low-interest bank, but high-risk alternatives feel far too intimidating. And because high-yielding, low-risk investments don’t pop up every day, it’s best to strike when the opportunity presents itself.

Right now, there is a rare window to earn low-risk, guaranteed returns of 6.875% p.a. yield straight from the government: the 32nd tranche of Retail Treasury Bonds (RTB 32) issued by the Bureau of the Treasury is now available through GBonds on GCash during its primary offer period of Sep 29 – Oct 7, 2026.
If financial jargon makes your eyes glaze over, think of RTBs this way: the government needs funds for national development. They borrow from you, and in exchange, you get your capital back, plus guaranteed interest, at maturity.

Here are the reasons why you should consider investing in RTBs:

• You’ll surely get your money back (until the maturity date)

Investing can feel daunting because of the market's unpredictable ups and downs. Stock prices and fund returns move with the market, but RTBs work differently. Its rate is fixed when you buy, which means you get guaranteed returns without staying up at night checking the market, as long as you hold it until the maturity date.

RTB 32 has a 2.5-year term, maturing on April 12, 2029. Hold it until then, and you get your full capital back, plus your guaranteed earnings.

• No need to stress over losing your investment

RTBs are securities issued by the Philippine government, making them a relatively low-risk way to grow your money. For Filipinos looking to diversify their portfolio beyond savings accounts, government securities can provide another way to put their money to work while earning fixed interest.

• You receive interest every quarter

Unlike fixed-income products that pay out at the end of the term, RTBs provide interest payments every quarter throughout the bond’s term. You can choose to reinvest those returns, add them to your savings, or use them for other financial goals.

• You can exit when life happens

RTBs offer flexibility by enabling investors to buy and sell their holdings on the secondary market before their official maturity date. If you need funds before the 2.5-year maturity, you can sell or cash out RTB32 on the secondary market via GBonds anytime after the primary offering window closes on October 7.

Just keep in mind that you'll sell at the prevailing market price, which may be higher or lower than what you paid — and transaction fees will apply.

• You don’t need a massive amount to invest

RTBs are designed to be affordable for everyday Filipinos – without the need for large capital and complex paperwork. With RTB 32 on GBonds, you can start with a minimum of ₱5,000 with zero processing fees during the primary offer period. Standard fees apply when you buy or sell on the secondary market.

Get Started via GBonds on GCash

GCash users can purchase RTBs on their GCash app through GBonds, a marketplace that allows users to invest in government bonds with FREE top-ups and withdrawals and standard fees for buying or selling bonds.

Simply go to the Invest tab on the GCash dashboard, click the GBonds icon, and answer the Risk Profile Questionnaire. Approval will take one (1) business day.

To invest via GBonds, you must be a fully verified GCash user aged 18 or older with a verified email address, an updated KYC profile (within the past 3 years), and not a US resident or citizen.

Growing your wealth doesn't have to mean taking big risks, especially when rare opportunities for high-yielding, guaranteed earnings are on the table. The primary offer window runs until October 7. Take charge of your financial goals today by locking in your guaranteed quarterly earnings—and let your money do the hard work for you.

HUAWEI WATCH GT 7 Series and WATCH D3 Bring Smarter Sports and Health Tracking to the Philippines

Manila, Philippines — HUAWEI is expanding its wearable technology lineup in the Philippines with the new HUAWEI WATCH GT 7 Series and HUAWEI WATCH D3, bringing advanced sports tracking, AI-powered insights, and proactive health monitoring to users’ wrists. The latest devices are now available for pre-order, with prices starting at PHP 14,999.

The HUAWEI WATCH GT 7 Series combines premium craftsmanship with intelligent fitness features. The Pro model features an aerospace-grade titanium alloy case, nanocrystal ceramic bezel, and sapphire glass, while HUAWEI’s new EasyCross strap provides a cleaner profile and comfortable fit for everyday wear.

For fitness enthusiasts, the smartwatch supports more than 100 sports modes, including advanced cycling features and outdoor activities. Its Sunflower Positioning System, enhanced by AI-XDR Positioning, is designed to deliver more precise GPS tracking, while HUAWEI TruSense provides detailed cardiovascular and wellness measurements.

The GT 7 Series also puts AI to work through AI Workout Analysis and the Physical Readiness feature, helping users better understand workout performance, recovery, and readiness. With battery life of up to 21 days, the series is designed for extended use and works with both iOS and Android devices.

Meanwhile, the HUAWEI WATCH D3 focuses heavily on cardiovascular health management. Building on HUAWEI’s wrist-based Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring technology, the device provides 24-hour blood pressure monitoring while reducing daily measurement inflations from 27 to just seven. Its ultra-narrow airbag strap is designed to make long-term monitoring more comfortable.

The WATCH D3 also features Health Glance, CE-certified ECG and PPG, and AI-powered Health Insights that help users identify trends from their daily health data. Its Daily Blood Pressure Summary and personalized reminders are designed to support greater awareness of cardiovascular health.

For Philippine consumers, pre-order promotions include discounts of up to PHP 4,000, a free HUAWEI FreeBuds SE 2, one-month HUAWEI Health+ membership, one-month Watch Face VIP membership, and an extended two-year warranty.

The HUAWEI WATCH GT 7 Series starts at PHP 14,999, while the HUAWEI WATCH GT 7 Pro is priced from PHP 18,999 during the promotional period. The HUAWEI WATCH D3 is available for PHP 26,999.

With the latest lineup, HUAWEI continues to blend wearable technology, intelligent fitness tracking, and proactive health management into devices designed for modern lifestyles.

Geeks On A Beach Launches AI Masterclasses Helping Tech Leaders and Teams Build Cost-Efficient, Enterprise-Grade AI Systems

MANILA, Philippines — Leading international tech community Geeks On A Beach (GOAB) has officially announced the virtual GOAB AI Engineering Masterclass Series, running throughout October 2026.

Since 2013, GOAB has gathered thousands of tech builders, investors, and startup founders for its premier annual gathering. While GOAB is not staging its traditional in-person beachfront conference this year, organizers stressed that the rapid shift toward generative AI demands immediate action.

"Software teams cannot wait for an annual conference to modernize their stacks," the organizers noted. "In place of our in-person gathering, we are delivering immediate value by connecting builders directly with trusted practitioners solving production challenges every day."

According to the Philippine AI Report, while 92% of local organizations experiment with AI, 65% remain stalled in the pilot stage—battling runaway API costs, security risks, and architectural debt. To bridge this gap, GOAB's hands-on masterclasses feature two confirmed practitioner-led tracks:

Module 1: AI Software Architecture — From Vibe Coding to Production
Instructor: Vince Loremia (Oct 7 & 14, 10 AM–12 PM PHT)
Focus: Hardening architectures, endpoint defense, and cutting API costs by up to 90% via tactical caching and local routing.
👉 RSVP: https://luma.com/GOABAI201

Module 2: AI-Augmented Software Engineering — Workflows & Cloud Agents
Instructor: Prince John Santillan (Oct 20 & 22, 10 AM–12 PM PHT)
Focus: Structuring the dev cycle, multi-model orchestration (Claude, Codex, Grok), and asynchronous Cursor Cloud Agents.
👉 RSVP: https://luma.com/GOABAI203

Registration & Passes

Each track provides 4 hours of live sessions, permanent replays, and a verifiable Module Certificate. Early-bird passes ($79–$99 USD / ~₱4,600–₱5,700 PHP) are available through September 30, 2026. For inquiries, contact hello@geeksonabeach.com.

About Geeks On A Beach (GOAB)

Founded in 2013, Geeks On A Beach is a non-profit international tech community of startup founders, software engineers, and advocates championing applied technical skills and peer learning across Southeast Asia.

Globe Brings Khan Academy AI Learning to More Filipinos Through GoLEARN

As the country celebrates National Teachers’ Month, Globe is making quality digital learning easier to reach for Filipino families while giving educators practical tools to support their students. Through its partnership with Khan Academy Philippines, Globe is helping connect students, parents, and teachers to free learning resources that can complement what happens inside the classroom.

“Teachers play an extraordinary role in helping young Filipinos learn, grow, and keep moving forward, but they don’t have to do it alone,” said Yoly Crisanto, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer at Globe. “Technology can lighten their load while giving students more ways to learn beyond the classroom. By making trusted learning resources easier to access, we hope to support teachers and families as partners in every child’s learning journey.”

Globe is a partner of the National Teachers’ Month Coordinating Council, supporting efforts to recognize Filipino educators and help them thrive in an increasingly digital learning environment. This builds on Globe’s broader commitment to empowering teachers through technology and digital learning.

Teachers can use Khan Academy to assign lessons and mastery goals, track student progress, and identify learning gaps that may need more attention. Khanmigo, an AI-powered tool available free to teachers, can also assist with lesson planning, rubrics, exit tickets, differentiation, and other classroom preparation, helping educators spend less time preparing from scratch and more time engaging their students.

Khan Academy Philippines, the first international licensee of the global nonprofit Khan Academy, is committed to localizing educational content aligned with the Department of Education’s curriculum and utilizing innovative technologies to elevate Philippine education. It received the first DepEd Partner-Hero award in January 2026 and has been credited by the Department of Education recently for its vital role in the Philippines’ most recent PISA achievement.

“Every learner should have the opportunity to learn at their own pace and get the support they need,” said Geraldine Acuña-Sunshine, President and CEO of Khan Academy Philippines. “Working with Globe allows us to bring Khan Academy closer to more Filipino families and educators, making quality learning resources easier to discover and use wherever learning happens.”

Khan Academy is now available with Go59 (including 1 GB of allocated data) and Go+99 with GoLEARN (including 8 GB of allocated data), providing students access to free lessons anytime through the web or mobile app. This allocation also gives students and teachers access to Khanmigo. With it, learners can explore instructional videos, interactive exercises, quizzes, and other resources in STEM, English, and more.

The learning support can extend from the classroom to the home. Parents can use the Parent Dashboard to monitor their child’s activity and spot areas where they may need support, while teachers can use assignments, mastery goals, and progress reports to identify learning gaps.

Customers can subscribe to Go59 or Go+99 with GoLEARN through the GlobeOne app. Globe customers may also access Khan Academy by opening GlobeOne, tapping Help, then Looking for Life Essentials, and selecting Khan Academy to sign up or log in for free.

How to access Khan Academy for Students:

• Open the GlobeOne app.
• Tap Help, then ‘Looking for Life Essentials?’.
• Select Khan Academy under the Education section.
• Tap Sign up or Log in.
• Choose Learner as your role.
• Choose your grade level and subjects.
• Start with one subject, such as Math, Science, or English.
• Watch a short lesson, answer practice questions, and keep practicing until you improve your mastery level.

How to access Khan Academy for Parents:

• Open the GlobeOne app.
• Tap Help, then ‘Looking for Life Essentials?’.
• Select Khan Academy under the Education section.
• Tap Sign up or Log in.
• Choose Parent as your role.
• Open your Parent Dashboard.
• Click Add a child.
• Connect your child’s existing account or create a new child account. If your child is under 13, you can create a username and password for your child.
• Check your child’s activity, assignments, and progress reports regularly.

How to access Khan Academy for Teachers:

• Open the GlobeOne app.
• Tap Help, then ‘Looking for Life Essentials?’.
• Select Khan Academy under the Education section.
• Tap Sign up or Log in.
• Choose Teacher as your role.
• Create your class and add students.
• Assign videos, exercises, quizzes, or mastery goals. Use reports to see which students need support.
• Explore Khanmigo Teacher Tools for lesson planning, rubrics, exit tickets, differentiation, and standards-aligned lesson plans.
• Teachers in the Philippines can also use Khan for Educators (Philippines), which is an introductory course designed to help teachers integrate Khan Academy into classroom practice.

Coca-Cola Philippines Partners with Biñan LGU, DILG to Expand Community-Based PET Bottle Collection in Laguna

Coca-Cola Philippines continues its expansion of the Tapon to Ipon PET bottle collection program to Biñan City, Laguna through a new partnership with the City Government, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Laguna, and Basic Environmental Systems and Technologies, Inc. (BEST Inc.).

The launch was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding signing, followed by an Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) and registration activity in Barangay Canlalay. The program’s initial rollout onboarded 50 store owners across 10 barangays, with five participating stores from each barangay.

Present at the event were DILG Laguna Provincial Director Jay-Ar Beltran, Biñan City Mayor Angelo Alonte, Coca-Cola Philippines Senior Director for Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability Ma. Christine Ponce-Garcia, Senior Manager for Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability; Misha Rabat; and BEST Inc. Senior Vice President for Business Development, Jan Vincent.

Bringing Tapon to Ipon to more communities

The partnership aims to make PET bottle collection more accessible within communities by bringing collection points closer to residents. Under Tapon to Ipon, participating sari-sari stores and local retailers serve as community-based collection hubs where residents can bring their used clear PET bottles of any brand.

Participating retailers collect and consolidate PET bottles brought by members of their communities. Store owners can earn points based on the PET bottles they collect, which can then be redeemed for a range of rewards, including Coca-Cola products, online shopping vouchers, food products, and credits toward utility bill payments.

The program aims to collect and divert recovered PET bottles for recycling, bringing collected materials to PETValue Philippines in Cavite, the country’s first bottle-to-bottle, food-grade PET recycling facility.

Each partner brings a distinct role to the program. The City Government of Biñan will help mobilize city and barangay officials and communities, while Coca-Cola Philippines will provide collection tools and Tapon to Ipon kits to partner retailers. BEST Inc. will support program operations and collection activities, with the Philippine Association of Stores and Carinderia Owners (PASCO) supporting engagement with participating store owners and the local retail community, as well as the DILG taking the lead in monitoring the program’s outcomes.

“We assure that the city government of Biñan is committed to this project and will ensure that our communities will be deeply involved in the program. The community’s active participation is key to bringing this project to life and ensuring its success,” said Alonte.

Ma. Christine Ponce-Garcia, Coca-Cola Philippines Senior Director for Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability, echoed the importance of collaboration in strengthening local collection systems.

“We know that strong and effective recycling value chains cannot be built by one organization alone. It takes collaboration. We look forward to seeing this partnership grow, and more importantly, become part of the habits and practices of communities across the city of Biñan. May this partnership inspire more communities to see every bottle returned. It is an opportunity to create lasting environmental and social impact,” Ponce-Garcia noted.

The rollout in Biñan City marks Tapon to Ipon’s expansion into South Luzon, adding to a program that has reached more than 170 cities and municipalities nationwide since its launch in 2021.

Equipping more store owners on the ground

The Tapon to Ipon team oriented participating retailers on the program, proper PET bottle disposal and collection, and their role as community collection hubs. The activity also distributed Tapon to Ipon kits and tools to help store owners participate in the collection effort.

For Coca-Cola Philippines, the partnership demonstrates how LGUs, government agencies, retailers, and private-sector organizations can work together to strengthen local PET bottle collection and support a more organized recycling value chain. The company will continue working with partners to expand community-based collection efforts and explore opportunities to bring Tapon to Ipon to more cities and communities.

To learn more about Coca-Cola Philippines’ packaging collection and recycling efforts, visit the Coca-Cola Sustainability Hub at https://www.coca-cola.com/ph/en/brands/coca-cola/sustainability.